( November 5, 2008. )

When I finally saw President-Elect Obama’s acceptance speech in its entirety, it made me cry. I have never felt that kind of emotion about politics or presidents before. My tears were not due to his personal achievement, although that is singular and inspiring. I cried as he described the history witnessed and experienced by the 106-year-old voter ( Read more... )

( November 4, 2008. )

My friend desdenova is doing a photo-essay meme, and I am enjoying hers so much I thought I'd try it myself. So without further ado, a week of my life, in photos ( Read more... )

Last night I watched the Sarah Connor Chronicles. Today thunderstorms are rolling above, my head hurts, and I was reminded when I picked up Gillian that it is 9/11. She was feeling down too, and kept curling up against me. All this has combined to provoke in me an introspective and nigh on apocalyptic mood. There is only so much I can do to see ( Read more... )

When we first moved to Florida, I had it in mind that we would move to a different house in about five years. (We would eventually like a pool, and a guest room.) Five years later, we are talking about moving . . . five years from now. Perhaps by then the housing market will have stopped bouncing like a Superball and rolled off into a corner ( Read more... )

This week is Gillian's spring break, which translates to more effort on my part because I have more entertainment requirements than usual. I also have an unexpected work project to complete this week, and rt_hon_rackman is still doing his Bataan Work March, so Team Parent is still undermanned (albeit sufficiently womanned). However, the kids and I have managed ( Read more... )

This morning, sitting in the waiting area of the Orlando Ballet School, it finally hit me that (as far as I can tell) there are no Caucasian students in Gillian's class. I had already noted that the six little girls all looked similar -- dark brown hair with bangs, brown eyes, various shades of brown skin, slender frames -- but I hadn't really ( Read more... )

I just dropped off Gillian for her first day of kindergarten. I felt as excited and nervous as she did, but for parental reasons rather than child reasons. I've spent five years raising her to be happy and comfortable going to school, to think about her world and enjoy learning. I'm so proud of her, her grace and maturity and honesty, her curiosity ( Read more... )

As I write, I can see a sliver of moon through my window, looking very much like an orange Cheshire grin in the sky. A very summery moon ( Read more... )